Natovi
To be Natovi is to live one's life with hellfire forever lapping at one's heels. They are vigiliant survivalists, taught from a young age that this life is a test for the next, and that if they fail at this test, they'll be damned to hellfire for all eternity. Every step taken through life is taken on the precipice of damnation, and only constant, vigilant faith can see a Natovi through to his or her eternal rest. History Natovistism was born during the Aevum Purgans not as a protest to the Revisionist Movement, but in many ways as a biproduct of it. As with other aspects of life, the Revisionist Movement threw into doubt facts about religion as much as it did facts about secular life. America during the Aevum Purgans was still a very religious nation, and the ability to justify one's politics through religious means was very powerful indeed. The fundamental degredation of facts and corruption of data that the Revisionist Movement thrived upon made this task easier than ever, as it became common practice to make up Bible passages whole cloth so as to offer "religious justification" for policy decisions. Of course, this left many in the Christian community in the world confused as to what their faith actually held and which beliefs were accurate. One of the many solutions to this problem was the Accord of the Temple of Deseret. Religious leaders from all over the Western World met in Salt Lake City to try to sort out over a century of misinformation and lies to arrive at what it actually meant to be Christian. The Accord, however, was not a simple overnight meeting. It would take five years of constant discussion, reading, research, debate and even open fighting before the Accord could be reached. The Accord of the Temple of Deseret was heavily shaped by a conservative coalition led by T. H. Carter. His famous essay, The Revival of Purpose, outlined what would become the core of an entirely new faith. Carter described a world at war between the secular and religious, one which had briefly achieved a perfect balance but had since been lost. The Revival of Purpose reads as much like a primer on survival and individualism as it does on the religion it helped bolster. According to Carter, life is a test which will decide if a person is doomed to hellfire or will earn salvation. To earn salvation, a person must display certain qualities, particularly a "rugged individualism" free from dependence on others. To depend on someone else for help is a sign of weakness and parasitism, and parasites do not earn salvation. The Revival of Purpose became the central pillar of the faith which would be handed down from the Accord of the Temple of Deseret, a new faith called "Natovistism". Natovistism would adopt much of traditional Christianity and blend it with the ideals of individualism and libertarianism in an attempt to appeal to all the assembled religious and political powers at the Temple. When tasked with discerning which recorded aspects of Christianity were true and which had been fabricated during the Aevum Purgans, the early Natovi leaders used The Revival of Purpose as a guide, discarding many teachings about social justice in favor of teachings about the importance of being self-reliant and productive. Natovistism spread quickly, a welcome relief to many faithful who had lived in uncertainty for too long. Having a very clear set of guidelines to salvation satisfied their worries and helped them achieve something like peace. Many churches, particularly in the United States, were quick to reorganize themselves into Natovi temples. Natovistism appealed to many ministers, pastors and priests both politically and religiously, so it is little wonder that it grew so quickly. The Central Tenets of Natovistism Natovistism holds three things to be fundamental to salvation, and failure to adhere to these teachings is likely to doom a Natovi to hellfire: The First Tenet - Faith in the Godhead The Natovi are monotheists, and believe in the same God venerated in all the Abrahamic faiths. Many of their ideas and beliefs of God come from Christian roots, with God being an all-powerful Creator-diety from whom moral law derives authority. In keeping with the Christian tradition, the Natovi hold God's son, Jesus Christ, as being a divine figure as well, and that Jesus is physically seperate and distinct from God the Father, but are "united in spirit, purpose and glory". Joining God the Father and Jesus the Son is the Holy Spirit, an intangible essence which is also "united in spirit, purpose and glory" with the other three apsects of the Godhead. Natovi hold that each member of the Godhead is distinct from each other member, but each strives together in perfect "oneness" towards the same goal. The Natovi also claim that other prophetic figures throughout history have achieved godhood (the ultimate state of being) as reward for their faith and deeds, such as the Abraham of the Bible, as well as other prophets. But these gods are not venerated or adored, and they are not considered to be part of the Godhead revered by the Natovi. The Natovi believe that by putting all faith in the Godhead, and by following the Godhead's will, they can escape damnation and hellfire. Thus most Natovi will pray for guidance or seek divine inspiration (to be delivered by the Godhead through the Holy Spirit to the Natovi). A lapse of faith into doubt can be enough for a Natovi to suffer damnation. The Second Tenet - Life is a Test of the Spirit T. H. Carter's The Revival of Purpose set out strict guidelines for Natovi, and among the most fundamental is the charge to be "ever-vigilant". As the Natovi see it, the world is a dark place which leads inevitably towards hellfire and damnation. It seeks to constantly corrupt the souls of the faithful Natovi, and it is a dangerous, inhospitable place. The Godhead cast mankind out of paradise and sent them to eke out an existance in a desolate, dark, horrible place. As such, Natovi are expected to be able to carve out a place in the world and survive. Each day is a new chance to earn salvation and escape damnation, and they cannot risk their souls to an uncertain fate without using every opportunity to prove themselves worthy of salvation. Throughout life, the Natovi believe that they will be presented with constant challenges from the Godhead. They are expected to be vigilant for such challenges, and face them with faith and strength of spirit. It is considered a sign of weakness for a Natovi to ask for help or to depend on others, because each person's spirit is unique and distinct. It is also considered cruel to help someone overcome a challenge from the Godhead, as you would be "robbing" that person of a chance to earn salvation. The spirit of each Natovi will be judged individually, not as a group. And the most important thing a Natovi can do is to survive. Each day brings new challenges, and one can only meet those challenges while still alive. So Natovi learn from an early age how to survive even in rugged and inhospitable climes. Moreso than other Traditions, the Natovi have a deep respect for those who can survive on their own, unaided in the wilderness, for they are constantly challenged by the Godhead, and have many more chances to earn salvation. That is not to say that a Natovi can never ask for help. Natovi are expected to have the wisdom to recognize a challenge that is beyond their capabilities, and to achieve that recognition and wisdom is a divine challenge itself. A Natovi with no medical experience who falls ill would not be considered weak for going to a doctor for medicine, nor would a blind Natovi be considered weak for asking a sighted person for directions in a new city. But the expectation is that the Natovi use these opportunities to learn new ways to be self-reliant and to grow as an individual. The Third Tenet - Damnation is the Fate of All The final tenet, and one of the most defining features of Natovistism, is that the default fate for all people after death is damnation. Natovi believe that Hell is a real place, where people are burned and tortured in hellfire for all eternity. The only way to escape damnation is salvation, and the only way to achieve salvation is constantly demonstrating for the Godhead one's faith and strength of spirit. This is why Natovi seek out challenges: they believe that each challenge is an opportunity to earn salvation and escape damnation. Without a chance to prove themselves, the Natovi believe that they'll be ignored by the Godhead and dropped into hellfire to suffer for eternity. This is also why Natovi are so pushy when it comes to faith: they believe they have a duty to help outsiders find salvation and avoid damnation. They truly believe that all other people are damned because they fail to recognize the First tenet of Natovistism. Without the proper reverence to the Godhead, a soul cannot be saved and salvation cannot be earned. It is this sad truth that is with the Natovi as they interact with outsiders on a day-to-day basis. People who will not find salvation, cannot find salvation, and aren't even seeking salvation. Better to not get close to them than to have to feel their pain when they are condemned to hellfire.